VERWOERDPARK – The sound of a roaring/revving motor vehicle is heard throughout the neighbourhood on Braun and Second Avenue throughout the day.
Starting in the early hours of the morning, cars race to their destinations not even taking note of the speed sign which shows 35km/h.
The slowest drivers travel, is about 60km/h while others test how much speed they can pick up between two traffic circles.
Residents have tried and pleaded for the municipality to put up speed bumps, speeding traps, cameras or anything to stop the motorists from speeding, but nothing has helped. One resident, Jack Slabbert, has asked police to come out, but there too nothing has happened.
“We don’t mind the residents riding at 60km per hour if there was not a crèche at the end of the road. School kids walk across the road and on the sidewalks daily and we fear that one day there is going to be an accident if the speeding does not come to an end,” said Jack.
Driving through Braun Avenue is also the quickest way to get onto the highway, so the amount of cars travelling there through the day is a lot… with only a handful abiding to the signs which are seen next to the road almost every 500m.
Residents have already said that they would like to throw cement into the road because nobody is doing anything else about the speeding drivers.
“From about 15:00 every day and on Saturdays it is the worst. The way people drive is just so reckless,” said Jack.
Ward 37 Councillor Bruna Haipel responded, saying, “At the request of the residents I have had various traffic signs put up in that area in order to alert motorists to reduce speed to 35km/h but as you say, some motorists take not the slightest notice of them.
“It certainly is a great concern because of the nursery school. EMPD have done speed control on occasions but can’t be there all the time.
“My suggestion to the residents is that they draw up a petition requesting a traffic light and traffic calming measures. The roads department is not keen to put speed bumps on a collector road and as you will have noticed there is a traffic circle which does slow the traffic down at peak times but during the day, I admit, there can be unruly drivers who speed.”
Councillor Haipel also sent a request to the roads department on October 18, “Mr Snyman, Verwoerdpark is desperately asking for more road signs in the area due to the fact that there is a nursery school and people are still travelling too fast.
“The request would be for signs that say: ‘Reduce speed, children crossing, concealed entrance’ etc. These should be placed roughly near 16 Rubenstein Street.”
